Under the changes, Abbas has replaced the Fatah secretary-general in
Lebanon, Brig. Gen. Sultan Abu Al Ein. Al Ein, in his post for nearly 20
years, was appointed Abbas's adviser on refugee affairs.
The replacement of Al Ein was identified as Fathi Abu Al Aradat, the
deputy secretary-general and regarded as an Abbas loyalist. In late
February 2010, Al Ein informed Abbas that he accepted the decision.
"I submitted my resignation to President Mahmoud Abbas in protest over
the dire situation in the refugee camps as a result of negligence," Al Ein
said.
Palestinian sources said Abbas had sought to remove Al Ein from his post
for nearly two years. In 2009, Al Ein forced the resignation of an Abbas
loyalist, Abbas Zaki, who had been appointed refugee adviser and
unsuccessfully sought to restrict the activities of the Fatah
secretary-general.
Abbas also replaced Fatah's military commander in Lebanon. Col. Munir
Maqdah was dismissed and succeeded by Brig. Gen. Subhi Al Arab. Al Arab was
said to be close to Al Ein and the Fatah leadership in the West Bank.
Unlike Al Ein, Maqdah has not accepted Abbas's decision. Palestinian
sources said Maqdah, who has also not been named to another position, would
probably not surrender his huge arsenal and force of several hundred
fighters.
The sources said Abbas and the Fatah leadership have linked Maqdah to
the rise of Al Qaida insurgents in Palestinian refugee camps. They said
Maqdah was believed to have been helping the Al Qaida-aligned Usbat Al Ansar
in Ein Hilwe, the largest of 12 United Nations-approved refugee camps in
Lebanon.
In February 2010, Usbat fought Fatah in the streets of Ein Hilwe. One
woman was killed in a clash that included the use of rocket-propelled
grenades by Al Qaida fighters.
Fatah has also named new members of the senior military command in
Lebanon.
They included Brig. Gen. Ahmed Saleh, Brig. Gen. Mohsen Khalat, Col.
Mohammed Ali Obeid, Col. Mahmoud Issa, Brig. Gen. Fadel Mustafa and Col. Abu Iyad.
Issa and Shalan were identified as regional commanders in eastern and
central Lebanon.
Abbas also reshuffled the Fatah political leadership. The new members
included Col. Khaled Aref, Amana Jibril and Jamal Fashmar.
